The British Embassy Amman has a vacancy for the position of People and Welfare Manager, job grade Executive Officer (EO), on a fixed term contract for two (2) years.

People are at the heart of our ability to deliver our Country Business Plan. We value our talented and diverse workforce that comprises UK Based (UKB) civil servants and Country Based Staff (CBS) whose diversity of ideas and experience across all areas of our work bring different ways of thinking and take on challenges, risks, and opportunities. We are committed to ensuring that we develop, grow, and realise the potential of all of our people and create a great place to work where we can be ourselves and be respected for who we are. These values will be at the core of the work you deliver within the team.

The jobholder will be working with the Deputy Head of Mission (DHM), Head of Corporate Services (HCS), Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Regional HR Hub (based in Abu Dhabi), Regional Inclusion Advisor (based in Abu Dhabi), HR Business Partner in the UK, the Country Based Staff Association (CBSA), and the International Academy (IA) Regional Learning Lead in Amman. The ability to build lasting networks and good working relations both within the Embassy, within the Middle East Region, and globally is essential.

The People and Welfare Manager will take a strategic lead on all things related to our staff, playing a key role in delivering the Amman People Plan, CBS workforce strategy and agile workforce planning initiatives, and building up the capacity and skills of our people. Looking after the welfare and wellbeing of all in a large and diverse Embassy is a key aspect. You will manage the Interim Personnel Pool (IPP) and lead on UK statutory Health, Safety and Welfare requirements where these relate to our staff. You will also ensure Occupational Health assessments are done annually where roles dictate the need. You will take responsibility for some day-to-day HR issues that are not covered by the SLA with the MENA Regional HR Hub in Abu Dhabi, but this work will only comprise of a small part of the role, not the majority of it.

This role has been established following a major restructure to Corporate Services and the candidate should be able to manage continued change with a positive attitude. This is a pressured but rewarding role for a candidate interested in strategic people management, learning and development, and statutory health and welfare requirements. It will require and test management and communication skills as well as teamwork and resilience. 

Duties and responsibilities:

– Workforce strategy and planning

• Working closely with the Head of Corporate Services, refine the Embassy’s workforce planning through developing a deep understanding of the Country Business Plan and the Amman People Plan.
• Work closely with the MENA Regional HR Hub to provide clear advice on CBS HR issues, ensuring HR policies are consistently applied across the Embassy for all.
• Support recruitment, promoting inclusive recruitment practices, including in job descriptions and sift/ interview processes. Acting as a neutral advisor where issues arise.
• Implement actions to ensure attraction, recruitment, and retention of high performing staff through a number of initiatives and campaigns. Manage the Interim Personnel Pool (IPP) to ensure that we retain the talents of people, specifically for surge support into gaps or areas that require short term, agile work planning.
• Assist Senior Management Team (SMT) with planning and executing department restructures or other movements of staff Provide guidance on writing business cases, getting agreement with HQ in the UK and putting together effective resource planning.
• Develop, implement, and embed reporting of people metrics . Highlight insight, trends, and issues and suggest people activities in response to trends noticed.

– Building workforce capability

• Develop a means to record and celebrate achievements gained through ‘learning at work or from each other’ and ‘learning through job shadowing, coaching or mentoring’ (the 70:20 of our learning model) so that our staff have a clear learning audit that can be referred to.
• Work with Head of Platform Services on an agile support approach for corporate services staff. Promote working in agile way in the Embassy between departments, between different specialisms in corporate services and in helping provide resilience for other Posts in MENA, where we are able to.
• Working with the International Academy, CBSA, and MENA Regional HR Hub, implement a L&D programme that includes substantial Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for the Corporate Service section, ensuring professional skills are prioritised with clear goals and aims linked to performance evaluation. Devolve a means to record and access CPD which is compulsory in some roles and how that will be evaluated, giving advice on what can be included.
• Evaluate the impact and value-add of L&D activities . Make time for your own L&D. Do monthly forecast of L&D spend for Finance team.

– People strategy

• Working with the MENA HR Business Partner, understand how the new CBS workforce strategy impacts BE Amman and advise on its implementation to SMT. Ensure communications on this 18-month programme are clear, concise, and frequent to all staff.
• Amplify communications with regards to this strategy to all considering how it impacts Amman in particular and providing advise to Head of Platform services on any change needed, having a clear change plan and timetable to effectively meet commissions on this matter from London.

– Core office support

• Support the HCS and MENA Regional HR Hub on other people matters as required. This may include resourcing, job standards, and internal communications. Provide support to Head of Platform Services and HR hub in relation to production of contracts and other HR related documents for locally employed staff.
• Assist  Head of Platform Services with administration of the local medical insurance scheme and social security schemes to ensure all staff are aware of requirements and that figures provided to the authorities are accurate.
• Each month prepare changes in staff for Finance team such as new starters, departures, maternity leave, special leave, overtime etc for input to payroll, which is done in house.  Ensure accuracy so that our staff are paid the correct salary on time. 
• Seek and act on customer feedback and use this to drive continuous improvement.

– Health, safety, and welfare

• Update, communicate, and track the induction process for all new staff, ensuring mandatory Health, Safety and Welfare learning is done.
• Develop an Occupational Health facility for CBS with a local health provider. Understand which staff need an annual review and how best they can be supported if risks at work need to be mitigated or changed to support continued employment. Monitor and ensure annual health checks (compulsory for some roles) are done and verify the outcomes of any independent assessments.
• Promote a good work-life balance for staff . Work with line managers to ensure staff take their leave and do not carry excessive balances, that staff take TOIL when due to them, and actively monitor and devise means to reduce stress in the workplace to acceptable levels (as dictated by UK H&W guidelines).

– Communication and engagement

• Develop and leverage an effective network of contacts across other embassies in Amman, other British Embassies in the MENA region, and with contacts in relevant teams both in the UK and globally. Sharing best practice with other MENA missions and building a sustained network with other HR professionals.
• Develop and leverage good working relations with all staff at the Embassy but particularly staff who are locally employed.  Ensure regular updates on HR related matters are magnified and attend monthly meetings with the HR Hub in Abu Dhabi, promoting their work to staff at Post and encouraging greater use.

– Other local requirements

• Undergo specific training and be ready to take on a Welfare or Information role in the event of a crisis, taking part in desk-based crisis exercises in preparation for this.

The above list is not exhaustive, and the jobholder will be required to be flexible as specific responsibilities could change in the future and this would be at the discretion of the line manager/ senior management and agreed with the jobholder. The job description may be reviewed to meet changes in business needs.

Key behaviours required:

• Working Together – Develop a range of contacts outside own team and identify opportunities to share knowledge, information, and learning. Show genuine interest when listening to others. Contribute to an inclusive working environment where all opinions and challenges are listened to, and all individual needs are taken into account. Ensure it is clear that bullying, harassment, and discrimination are unacceptable. Offer support and help to colleagues when in need, including consideration of your own and their wellbeing. Change ways of working to aid cooperation within and between teams in order to achieve results.
• Developing Self and Others – Identify gaps in own and team’s skills and knowledge. Set and consistently meet development goals. Seek learning opportunities. Support the development plans of all colleagues, recognising how diversity of experience/ background can help to build an inclusive team culture. Consider the contributions of all team members and delegate work to aid the learning and development of all. Encourage and listen to constructive feedback from colleagues.
• Communicating and Influencing – Communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing. Take time to consider the best communication channel to use for the audience, including making the best of digital resources and considering value for money. Express ideas clearly and with respect for others. Listen to and value different ideas, views, and ways of working. Respond constructively and objectively to comments and questions. Handle challenging conversations with confidence and sensitivity.
• Managing a Quality Service – Work with customers to understand their needs and expectations. Create clear plans and set priorities which meet the needs of both the customer and the business. Clearly explain to customers what can be done. Keep colleagues and stakeholders fully informed of plans, possibilities, and progress. Identify common problems that affect service, report them, and find possible solutions. Deliver good customer service which balances quality and cost effectiveness.

The jobholder will also need to role model the Embassy values of:

• Integrity
• Honesty
• Objectivity
• Impartiality

Eligibility:

If you are selected for this position, we will be able to employ you as long as:

• You have the right to live and work in Jordan; and
• You receive the appropriate level of security clearance.

We are looking for a confident self-starter with proven initiative in overcoming obstacles and someone who can handle multiple tasks and prioritise with minimal supervision.

The successful candidate will need to be resourceful, resilient, and have a strong track record of people management, ideally with professional HR-related qualifications or substantive experience in a People/ HR role. As with all CS jobs, no two days are the same. This brings with it regular and unusual challenges. Your actions will matter hugely to staff and the ability to think creatively and make sound judgements are all essential qualities. Excellent interpersonal skills are essential, and you will be comfortable dealing with staff at all levels and be able to build co-operative and productive working relationships with everyone that you come into contact with.

Essential

• Experience in a similar role or a solid experience in generalist Human Resources Management ideally for at least five (5) years and with demonstrable skills in areas such as Performance and Development, Talent Management, Change Management, Employee Engagement, or Cultural Leadership.
• Experience of contributing to HR strategy and delivering people plans that support organisational goals.
• Holds at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject and recognised HR qualifications or certification (i.e., CIPD, SHRM or equivalent).
• Highly organised and able to deal with challenging situations, confident in handling day-to-day tasks and decisions.
• Ability to make sound judgments and with strong stakeholder influencing skills.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to collaborate remotely and effectively with cross-functional teams, and multicultural colleagues.
• Excellent team working skills, with strong ability to build co-operative working relationships whilst being able to work independently.
• Fluent communication skills in English, both oral and written. Able to express ideas and messages clearly and concisely, both verbally and in written communication.
• IT skills and literacy in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).